


I Heard The Birds

by live_love_draw_anime



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Angst and Tragedy, F/M, Feels, Sadness, Tears, happiness, i love Rivetra and EreMika, lots of feels, most of these are tragic, one shots, series of One-shots
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-06
Updated: 2015-08-20
Packaged: 2018-04-07 23:54:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4282779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/live_love_draw_anime/pseuds/live_love_draw_anime
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The various ways in which they meet and love. A smattering of tragic one-shots about Levi x Petra and Eren x Mikasa.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Leaving You

**Petra mourns the fact that she is too late.**

Petra sniffled, rubbing her red rimmed eyes for the hundredth time. Tears leaked from the corners, staining her delicate, slightly freckled face. Her father shot her a saddened glance. "Dear...I'm so sorry. Everything will be okay."

The auburn haired girl shook her head, the tears falling faster. Nothing would be okay. Not now, not ever. How could it be, when he was...

... _gone_.

And he was never coming back. Not anymore.

She buried her face in her hands and sobbed. The salty droplets dripped from her chin, wetting the loose black dress she wore.

Hands reached out to her from all sides, voices murmuring their well-wishes, but they fell upon deaf ears. She could hear nothing, feel nothing.

The only thing Petra could see was the dark red liquid that had flowed from his body, the cold, filthy slush that had formed his tomb, the wail of sirens that marked his final moments.

Because of _her_.

Her selfishness, her stupidness, her spoiled mind and anger.

It was her fault he lay in the coffin in the center of the dark, dreary room they were in, his steel eyes closed forever.

It was her fault he would soon be buried in the ground, when he'd had so much, such a promising future, such a wonderful life ahead of him.

_What had she done?_

It was her fault, all her fault...

_Petra sat in her room, fixing her short, auburn hair in front of her mirror. She smiled at her reflection, pleased with her appearance. She'd braided it the way he'd liked it, in a crown around her head. Glancing outside, she gazed happily at the mounds of fresh snow that had fallen the night before. The trees were heavy with white powder, and the roads were slick with ice._

_The ding of the doorbell made her head perk up. She sprang up from her seat, hurrying down the stairs to the front door. Pulling it open, she smiled up at the very person she'd been hoping to see. "Levi!"_

_The black haired boy, only about an inch taller than her five foot two frame, gave her his signature half smile. "Hey, Petra."_

_She grabbed his hand, pulling him inside. "Come on, get inside! It's really cold out there!"_

_He followed her into the sitting room, and they both took their seats on the plush red sofas._

_"So, what's up?" Petra asked. "You didn't call."_

_"I wanted to tell you in person," Levi told her, pushing his jet black hair out of his eyes._

_"Tell me what? What's the news?" Petra's green eyes stared brightly into his._

_Levi smiled, a full smile. Petra blinked in surprise. He rarely did that. "What is it, Levi? Tell me already!"_

_"Well...I got accepted!"_

_"Accepted...to a college?"_

_"Yes, and I doubt you'll guess where."_

_Petra grinned. "Where?"_

_"Famous school. Cambridge!"_

_The grin slowly slid off of Petra's face. "...Cambridge? That's...in England, isn't it?_

_"Yes," Levi continued, oblivious to her change in mood. "I'm leaving next month. This is a huge moment for me! Do you know how many opportunities I'll have there? This is the chance of a lifetime!"_ _His usually pale cheeks were flushed, his gray eyes glimmering with excitement._

_Petra's green irises, however, had dulled to a flat, dejected tone. "Ah...you're really happy about that, aren't you?"_

_"Of course!" Levi frowned. "Why wouldn't I be?"_

_Petra stared at her toes. "Cambridge is really far, Levi."_

_Levi's eyes dropped, realizing what she was getting at. "Petra...things will work out. I'll call you every day, and we can write if you want. Nothing will change between us."_

_Petra snapped up, scowling. "Nothing will change!? We'll be thousands of miles away, Levi! What do you mean, nothing will change?"_

_Levi stood up. "So...you're saying that I shouldn't go? That I should throw away years of hard work and studying? This is my big chance, Petra!"_

_"But what about us, Levi?!? Should we throw away all those years of our relationship?"_

_"We won't be throwing them away, Petea!" Levi said, frustratedly running his hands through his hair. "This doesn't change anything! I'll always be there for you, no matter what!"_

_"Not when you're living in some high class dorm in Cambridge!" Petra cried, standing up as well. She stormed towards the door._

_"I can't believe you're saying this!" Levi said angrily, following her. "This is my one big opportunity, and you want me to blow it? They've offered me a full ride scholarship, Petra! You know I could never afford something like that on my own!"_

_Petra ran outside, tears of anger forming in her eyes. "Well, I guess it's more important than the two of us, isn't it!"_

_"Petra!" Levi called after her exasperatedly. "Listen to what you're saying!"_

_She ignored him, running as fast as she could, the anger flaring up inside her. How dare he walk in there, so happy, when he was about to break to pieces everything they'd so carefully put together for years?_

_"Petra!"_

_She could hear his voice, louder now. Glancing back, she realized he was chasing after her. Jerking her head back around to the front in disgust, she sped up, running towards the main intersection in the road._

_The light had just turned red, and all the cars slowed to a stop. She jogged across, wiping her face with her hands._

_Then she heard the loud beep. Startled, she jerked her head up, staring in horror at the enormous truck that was barreling towards her, unable to stop as its wheels slid across the icy roads._

_Petra screamed, a loud shrill sound as the vehicle rushed her head on, sure that she was about to die. Suddenly, a huge force slammed into her from her left, and she flew to the side, landing safely, albeit a bit roughly, on the snow..._

_...and stared in shock as Levi's body collided with the mass of iron and metal._

_"LEVI!!!" His name ripped from her throat, leaving it raw and sore, but she didn't care. "LEVI!!!"_

_The roads were a mess, people shouting and clamoring out of their cars to get to the fallen boy._

_Petra dragged herself to his side, her breathing ragged. "Levi!"_

_She reached him, lying motionless on the slushy road, a puddle of something dark seeping out from under him. "Oh god! Oh god!"_

_She was openly sobbing now, the cries tearing themselves from her throat in an animalistic, hysterical way. "Levi! Please look at me! Someone, call an ambulance!"_

_"I've got it!" Someone shouted from the crowd._

_The truck driver scrambled out of his truck, kneeling beside Petra, his eyes filled with worry. "Oh no..."_

_"Levi! Please look at me!" Petra screamed._

_The boy on the ground took a shuddering breath, his steel eyes barely open. "Petra..."_

_"Just hang in there!" She cried. "Help is on the way! Don't leave me..."_

_"Petra..." He coughed, blood dribbling out of his mouth. "I...won't ever...leave you..."_

_"You better not, Levi Ackerman!" She sobbed. "You're staying right here! Help is coming! Keep your eyes open, look at me!"_

_Levi stared up at her face, his eyes wide as if he was memorizing every detail, though he already had. "I...won't go to Cambridge, Petra...I can stay...if you want..."_

_"I don't care about that anymore!" Petra wailed. "Please Levi, don't talk, don't talk, the ambulance is coming..."_

_The next few minutes were a blur. The sirens came screaming down the street, and soon the medics were there, shoving bystanders out of the way and lifting the black haired boy onto a stretcher._

_One of the medics asked her if she was family, and she nodded faintly, since it was close enough. They'd taken her with them, and she insisted on staying by his side, numb with terror, her heart stopping every time the heart monitor hooked up to him dropped._

_She prayed the whole way to the hospital, her eyes closed, knuckles white as they pulled in._

_He was taken to a room, but when she tried to follow, they stopped her, telling her she had to remain outside._

_Her parents were contacted, and they came rushing there without delay. Her father held her hand, while her mother rubbed her back soothingly as she sat there, terrified about why it was taking so long, yet afraid to hear the answer._

_Hours later, a medic stepped out of the room, his face grim._

_Petra's world went black._

 She sat on her cold, hard bench at his funeral, listening dully as a few acquaintances spoke about him and his accomplishments. She had tried to speak a few words earlier, but nothing had come out but dry squeaks.

It was sunny outside, despite the snow. That wasn't right, Petra thought. Why was the sun shining, when her world was so gray?

And when they placed the covered coffin in the ground, she couldn't turn away, though the tears cut trails down her face. The men began to throw shovelfuls of dirt over the grave, and each crumbling thud clenched her heart, squeezing it with a cold fist, until her whole body was shuddering and she couldn't bear the noise any longer.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

Petra sobbed.

**End.**


	2. Clueless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mikasa likes Eren, but how can she get him to realize he loves her back?
> 
> No angst, happy ending.

In which Eren struggles with his thick-headedness:

Eren lay in bed that night, thinking about the same problem he'd mulled over in his head hundreds of times. He'd been a trainee for three years already, and he still didn't have his answer.

"Hey Eren," Armin said softly, stepping into the boys' quarters. "Are you asleep?"

"Nah," Eren replied, his eyes locked on the ceiling. "Just thinking."

"About what?" Armin asked, his eyebrows furrowed. "Is anything bothering you?"

"It's nothing important, Armin. Go to bed."

The blond shrugged and crawled beneath his own covers on the bottom bunk.

Eren sighed and turned onto his side. Today had been strange, and especially awkward. It had taken his problem to a whole other level.

His problem was with Mikasa. His sister. Well, his adopted sister. 

Anyway, he'd always sensed that Mikasa felt something for him, though he'd always passed it off as sisterly love. But deep down, he knew it was something more than that.

Today, however, had been different. Today, Mikasa had confessed something to him, and he had absolutely no idea how to react.

Which had resulted in a shouting match and her stomping off in an angry huff.

She hadn't spoken to him for the rest of the day, and he was uncertain as to whether he should be glad or not. Besides, he needed this time to think things over.

It had all started in the mess hall. He and Mikasa had woken up earlier than the other trainees and had gone to get breakfast. They sat together at one of the tables by the window, gazing out at the dewy green morning grass. A light mist settled over the area, and the sun peeking over the horizon had turned it a brilliant shade of gold.

"It's beautiful out there, isn't it Eren?" Mikasa breathed.

"Yeah," Eren agreed. "You don't see sights like this very often anymore."

They had sat in silence a bit more before Mikasa finally spoke. "I used to see this every morning...when I lived in my old house with my parents. The mist would come down just like this, all golden and sparkling. I used to think it was magical." She laughed sadly, no doubt missing her mother and father.

Eren reached out, gripping her shoulder. "Well, I'm glad you got to see it again."

Mikasa turned to look at him. To his surprise, her eyes were a bit watery. "Eren...so am I. Especially because I get to see it with you."

Eren but his lip, not certain what she meant by that. "Um...me too?"

"Do you really feel that way, Eren?" Mikasa stared at him questioningly. "Do you feel the same as me?"

"Y-yeah, of course!"

Mikasa smiled. "Eren...I love you."

Eren furrowed his brow. He loved her too, like a sister. That's what she meant, right? He grinned uneasily. "S-so do I! I always have! You--you've always been there for me Mikasa, like the sibling I never had."

Mikasa looked down at her hands. "Oh."

Eren frowned. "Is something wrong?"

"No...I just thought...never mind."

"Never mind what, Mikasa? You can tell me anything, remember? I'm your brother." He placed his hand over hers.

Mikasa stared at it for a moment before throwing it off. "No! Eren!" She shouted.

"Wh-what's wrong, Mikasa!"

"Ugh! You're so clueless! Can't you see, Eren?"

"S-see what!?!"

"I don't want to be your sister! I'm not your sister! I love you, but not in the way you think!"

"M-Mikasa...?"

Mikasa glared at him. "God, you're still so clueless even after I confess! Never mind, Eren! Just forget this ever happened!" She stomped away from the table, leaving a dumbfounded Eren behind her.

He was distracted for the rest of the day. Commander Shadis had to yell at him three times during his lecture to snap him out of his daze, which resulted in him cleaning the entire stable block. 

By the time he dropped off to sleep, he was exhausted and still bewildered by Mikasa's earlier confession. His mind chewed over her words, and though he was tired, he couldn't seem to fall asleep.

Rolling over to peer at the bottom bunk, he whispered, "Hey, Armin. Are you asleep?"

"Not anymore," Armin grumbled, pulling his covers off of his head. "What is it, Eren?"

"I've got a problem."

Armin immediately sat up. "What's the matter?"

Eren quickly dropped down to Armin's bunk to speak to his best friend. He began talking, telling him the events in the dining hall in detail.

By the time Eren finished, Armin was shaking his head sadly. "You really don't get it, do you Eren?"

"Get what!" Eren cried. "I wish someone would just explain it to me! I've been trying to figure it out for years now!"

Armin sighed. "You really are clueless. Eren, Mikasa's in love with you. She's always loved you ever since you saved her when you were nine. She's idolized you ever since, but you've been too occupied with your titan obsession to notice it."

"Mikasa? Idolize me?" Eren looked aghast. "She always treats me like I can't take care of myself! Besides, she's stronger anyway!"

"She treats you that way because she can't stand the thought of you betting hurt! Mikasa really cares about you! How could you never have noticed?"

"I thought it was a sibling bond," Eren said weakly. "It's weird to think of my sister liking me in that way."

Armin snorted. "She's not your real sister, Eren. Your family just took her in."

Eren sighed. "I know. Truth be told, I've always liked Mikasa too, but I tried not to think about it because I thought she would find it creepy. I guess I've blinded myself against my own free will."

Armin nodded factually. "So, what you need to do tomorrow is talk to her about how you really feel. Tell her that it was all just a big misunderstanding and that you care for her beyond the 'sibling bond' you share."

Eren grinned excitedly. "Thanks Armin! I will." He climbed back up to his bunk, pulled the covers over him, and was snoring within minutes.

Armin sighed. "He really is a total idiot."

**********************************

The next morning, Eren approached Mikasa in the breakfast hall. She caught sight of him and promptly turned her back.

"Mikasa," Eren pleaded. "I want to talk to you."

Mikasa shook her head. "I don't want to talk to someone as dumb as you."

"I have a terminal illness."

Mikasa spun around. "WHAT?!?"

Eren chuckled. "Just kidding. But it got you to talk to me."

The black haired girl glared. "Baka." But she relented and followed him to an empty table, setting her tray beside his. "Alright, what is it?"

"Mikasa," Eren began, taking her hand. "I realized what you meant yesterday, and I just want you to know, I return your feelings. I've always been too afraid to show it, because I thought you might despise me for thinking of you in that way. But, if you feel the same as me, then..."

Mikasa blinked. "E-Eren...you..."

"I really like you Mikasa, in way you like me. And I want to always be by your side, to protect you from anything that will inflict harm upon you."

"That's my job," Mikasa reminded him.

"I want you to be the one I make it to the end of this war against the titans with. I want you to be the one I spend the rest of my life with. I love you, Mikasa."

Eren held his breath, waiting for Mikasa's reaction. For a few seconds, she did nothing, and his heart stopped beating. Then she threw her arms around him, squeezing him tightly.

"I'm so happy, Eren!" She cried. "I thought I was going to have to beat it into you!"

Eren chuckled nervously. "Well, I'm glad you didn't." He suddenly became aware of the fact that the breakfast hall had become very, very quiet. Everyone, except for Jean, was staring at them with hearts pulsing in their eyes. 

"That was so sweet, Eren!" Krista cried, rushing over and pulling both of them into a hug, which made Ymir scowl. Jean snorted and sat in the corner, sulking.

Connie thumped Eren on the back. "Yeah, I never knew you were the sappy type! Seriously, I thought you were programmed to only say 'I will kill all the titans!'" Mikasa laughed at that while Eren frowned and declared that he had every right to repeat that slogan as often as he wanted.

Meanwhile, Armin was watching in the background, his mouth hanging open in awe. "I never thought he could pull that off," he mumbled to himself, pushing his blond bangs out of his eyes. "The things that idiot can do never fail to surprise me."

End.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So a happy one-shot, because there will be many more sad ones!!
> 
> Eren and Mikasa are adorable together, and I don't care what anyone else says; they are made for each other.
> 
> #iwillgodownwiththisship


	3. Bathed in Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Those who are gone do not particularly leave.

They watch.

Silently from above, they hover, looking down at those below.

Those they left behind.

Those they wish to see again.

Among them, a select few are quiet, morose. They stare sadly down at the world below them, eyes filled with pain.

They watch _him_. Him, with his shaking fingers as he delicately holds the pictures.

They are hand-drawn, capturing every detail of the faces perfectly. He drew them from memory, since they themselves are long gone.

He covers his eyes with one hand, drowning in regrets, the "I should haves", and the "If only I could haves."

Because no matter how many times he says he won't regret, he does.

Why? Why hadn't he made it in time when Isabel was crushed? And Farlan, Farlan was still alive, but he'd been slow to react.

Why didn't he stay with Petra and Oluo and Gunther and Erd? Why? He could have saved them, if only he'd been there.

He could have seen their faces right now, their real faces, rather than these paper substitutions.

And yet, deep down, he knows this is a lie.

There was _nothing_ he could have done.

They know this too, the ones watching from above. And so it pains them to see the one they love in such agony.

The girl with the emerald eyes and the red, red hair reaches out with her hand, as if to comfort him, but he cannot see them, cannot feel them.

Her hand drops limply to her side again.

And they watch as the man before them hides his emotions once again, setting the drawings back down on his desk and briskly standing up.

He marches back outside, his face a mask, and they hear him yelling, "Jaeger! What do you and Artlert think you're doing!? No slacking off, get back to work, you lazy brats!"

Petra stifles a giggle, Farlan rolls his eyes, and Erd smiles down at his captain.

"He never changes," Isabel scoffs. "Still the same as the day I met him."

Petra smiles. "He'll grow out of it. Someday."

"Well," Isabel states. "He won't be allowed up here with us if he doesn't change his attitude."

"Isabel!" Farlan reprimands. "Levi will make it here."

"Nuh-uh, not if he still acts the way he does right now. Besides, he'd get along perfectly with the demons down there." Isabel grinned wickedly.

"Isabel!" Petra holds a hand to her forehead. "Don't."

Isabel shrugs, looking a bit guilty. "Sorry, Petra."

Petra sighs and looks back down at her captain, who is currently chewing out Eren and Armin. Mikasa stands at the side, rolling her eyes.

"I wanted to be with him, you know," Petra says softly. "I really did. But I guess it would have never worked out. No one lives long enough in that world."

Farlan runs a hand through his hair. "I know that the place we're in now is supposed to be peaceful, with no worries. But I can't help but think everyday about when Levi's time will come. He needs to be there right now, to help humanity."

They stand in silence for a bit longer, until Gunter finally speaks. "I think we should go now."

With a sigh and a pang in their hearts, each drifts off to their own respective places.

All except Petra. She lingers behind, staring morosely at her beloved's face. She could watch him forever and be content...

"Levi!" Petra jerks her head to the side to see Commander Erwin approaching her captain. She listens closely.

"This news is rather short notice, but we'll be gong on an expedition in two days. Tell everyone to prepare. Then meet me in my office so we can discuss the details." With that, Erwin walks away.

Petra bites her lip. She knows her captain is extremely experienced, and yet she can't help but worry. Will he be safe?

So she decides she'll go along.

Though if the others find out, they'll surely try to stop her.

"Petra."

It's Erd. He stares down at her sternly.

Petra laughs weakly. "Ah, Erd! I didn't know you were still here!"

Erd isn't smiling. "Petra, I know what you're thinking. Stay out of it. You realize what the consequences will be if you interfere."

Petra rolls her eyes. "Obviously, Erd. I'm not that stupid. I'm not planning anything, I'm just worried about him."

*

*

*

*

Two nights later, she silently slips away.

********************************** 

Petra knows she's not supposed to be here.

And yet she is, soaring above her captain as he rides fast and hard on his horse.

He can't see her. No one can. But that doesn't matter. She can see him, and so she will watch over him like his guardian angel, she thinks to herself.

No matter what consequences she may face.

They haven't had a single titan sighting yet, though they've been riding for twenty minutes. Petra can't help but feel a strange sense of premonition.

She's watching her captain when the first flare goes off. It's a normal titan, not a deviant, and the first few soldiers take it down easily. Levi doesn't even have to move.

Five minutes later, another one appears. But this one is different. It lumbers towards the supply wagons, a vicious sneer on its face.

This time, Levi flies into action. He attacks the huge monster, cutting through its nape in a matter of seconds. The beast doesn't stand a chance.

At that moment, three titans appear from the trees. Erwin is shouting orders when two more come charging in. These two are deviants, and they head straight for Levi.

Petra holds her breath, but keeps from making any rash decisions. Her captain can handle himself.

Another soldier swings in, yelling to Levi that he can get one of them. Levi nods and focuses on the second titan.

The first soldier cuts into the titan's neck and it goes down. Levi finishes his off soon after. He lands on the floor, rushing to get back to his horse when the screams begin.

Petra and Levi both turn to see the titan that the first soldier fought grabbing a young soldier. It turns out the titan hadn't been killed after all--the man had aimed too high and missed the nape.

It all happens so fast. The titan finishes off the young girl and reaches for Levi with lightning speed.

Levi, on flat ground, his momentum shot and with no place to use his gear, is trapped.

He clicks his gas and runs, trying to propel himself forward, but anyone can see it's too late.

Unless.

Unless _she_ does it.

Petra makes her decision. She swoops down, using everything in her power to push that hand away. She has no weapon, but death has given her a much more powerful tool.

Using pure will, she focuses all her energy on deflecting the titan's arm. And it works.

It works.

But although the titan's movement is slowed down enough for Levi to move out of the way, it still collides with Petra.

Her ghostly body, although beyond physical pain, can not escape the fate of the titan once again. She is thrown against a tree, her back snapped to an impossible position, her mouth open in one last silent scream.

A scream that no one hears.

And as the world starts to go black for her, she closes her eyes, content. For although anyone who 'dies' once but is already dead cannot return to heaven, and is thrown into an eternal turmoil, at least her captain is safe.

Her captain...

**********************************

When Petra goes missing, they know what has happened but none of them say it. None of them need to.

********************************** Levi sits on his bed in his room, staring down at his hands. He knows something was wrong on that last expedition, but he can't quite put a finger on it.

That titan's hand though...it had seemed to travel in slow motion. He should have been flattened by it.

But he wasn't.

And he isn't sure, because when he asked Erwin, he denied hearing anything, but Levi thinks he heard something.

He heard the sound that haunts his nightmares every night.

**End.**


	4. Wonderland

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wonderland is a strange (and terrifying) place, or so Petra finds out.

Petra shook her head in bewilderment.

Where _was_ she? One moment she'd been chasing the white rabbit that had been nibbling at her carrots, and the next, she'd woken up _here_.

_Here_ was a strange place. The grass was more blue then green and the sky more green then blue. The trees seemed to have faces and she could swear the flowers were whispering.

Nevertheless, _here_ was a beautiful place, and although she was a bit scared, she couldn't help but admire her surroundings. She knelt down in the grass and inspected the flowers closer. They seemed to shy away, their stems bending backwards and their faces twisting.

"Um...excuse me..." Petra began, feeling a bit silly. "But could you tell me where I am? Is this earth? Or some other place?"

But instead of answering, the flowers hissed and writhed. Their whispering grew louder. "She's _talking_ to us! What should we do? Don't answer, of course!"

Petra sighed and gave up trying to communicate with the flowers. Standing up, she decided she might as well explore. Walking towards the forest in front of her, she peered at the trees. It seemed they really did have faces, but they didn't seem hostile. One of them reached out and touched her shoulder. "Hello, dear."

Petra smiled as kindly as she could. "Hello! Could you tell me where I am?"

The tree smiled. "Wonderland, of course!"

"Wonderland? Where is that? Am I on earth?"

"Of course you are," the tree told her. "Where else would you be?"

"Well, how did I get here then?" Petra prompted. "How can I get back home?"

"I wouldn't know, dear." The tree said. "Only you would know that!"

Petra frowned. Obviously, she wouldn't be getting answers from the talking trees. She took a step forward, and heard an angry shout from below. Petra jumped back, startled. "Who's there?"

"Me!" The tiny voice yelled. "You stepped on me!"

Petra knelt down. It was a small caterpillar. For some reason though, it had a human head. On closer inspection, she realized it was a boy's head with brown hair and green, green eyes. An angry scowl creased his brow. "You huge titan! I hate you guys. So big, always acting so tough! Why, I oughta--"

He began slamming himself repeatedly against Petra's shoe. "Take that! And this! And that! And this!"

Petra stared down a bit piteously at the caterpillar-boy. He slumped against her shoe, now exhausted. "You filthy titan scum! I will exterminate you!"

Petra couldn't help but feel sorry for him. "Um...I'm sorry...I'll just be leaving now..." She turned and began walking away.

Behind her, she could still hear his voice. "Yeah! You better run! I showed you, huh! Get outta here, scram!"

Petra hurried along, anxious to find someone who could actually help her. She was so busy worrying, she didn't notice the person in front of her until she crashed into them.

"Oi, watch where you're going, you--" the person's words were stopped short as they turned to face Petra. "Hey, who are you?" 

Petra was too busy staring at them to answer. It was a young man who looked about her age. He wasn't much taller than her (and she was only 5'2). He had jet black hair styled in an undercut and the grayest eyes she'd ever seen. His frame was small but well built underneath his black pants and peasant style gray shirt. 

But that wasn't what she was gaping at. The objects that held her utterly mesmerized were the pair of small black _cat_ ears that peeked out of his hair and the long onyx _tail_ that curled by his side.

The cat man seemed annoyed by her constant staring. "Who are you? Quit looking at me, it's irritating."

Petra shook herself and rubbed her eyes. "Ahh...I-I'm Petra Ral. I'm a bit... _lost_ , if you will. Do you think you could help me?"

The cat man frowned. "How did you get here?"

Petra put a hand on her chin. "Well, you see, I was chasing away the white rabbit who kept eating my prize-winning carrots, and after that I don't really remember anything. Except that I think I fell down a hole. Then I woke up here--Hey!"

The cat man had begun to walk away. She jogged to catch up. "Aren't you going to help me!?"

He ignored her, continuing at his brisk pace. "No."

"Why!!?"

The man stopped and sighed. "Look, if you fell down the rabbit hole, then I'm sorry. But there's no way to get back from there." He resumed walking.

Petra felt panic beginning to seize her. She was stuck in this _strange_ world with _strange_ creatures and _no_ way to get back. At that point, all sense of rationality fled her mind.

" _Wait_!" Petra cried, flinging herself after him. "Please, help me! I'm begging you! I don't know where I am! You can't just leave me here!"

"Actually, I can," he said, extracting himself from her grip. "So goodbye, Petra Ral. I'm no babysitter."

Petra collapsed on the ground, in danger of sobbing. She was overwhelmed, not to mention terrified at the prospect of being trapped in this place. A few tears dripped down her cheeks as she thought of her parents and how worried they would be. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Startled, she looked up to see the cat man's steely gray eyes boring into her skull. She hiccuped, waiting for him to speak.

The cat man snorted. "Tch. Alright fine, I'll help you, you annoying brat. But I'm not doing this out of the kindness of my heart."

 "Then why are you doing it?" Petra asked innocently. He didn't answer, already moving. "Keep up."

Petra sprang to her feet, running to catch up. "I thought you said there was no way out of here."

"I lied."

"Why?"

A pause. "Because I really didn't feel like helping you."

"Oh." Petra tried to come up with something to say. "So, what's your name?"

 "Levi."

"Levi what?"

"None of your business."

"...How old are you?"

"Three thousand years old."

"What!?"

"Tch, stop asking so many questions. It's bothersome."

Petra paused for a moment. "Why do you have cat ears and a tail?"

Levi shot her an irritated glance. "Because I do. Why do you have arms and legs? They're a part of your body. Same thing for my ears and tail."

Petra sighed. "I don't understand this world as all..."

"No one does. This is Wonderland. It's crazy out here. You just need to choose to go with it."

"Oh. That's...comforting."

They walked the next few minutes in silence. Petra snuck a glance at Levi, and was surprised to see he was staring back. He frowned. "Get on."

Petra shook her head in confusion. "What do you mean? Get on where?"

"My back," Levi gestured impatiently. "Walking is too slow, and since you don't know how to use the gear, I'll have to carry you." He waved his hand, and as if by magic, two strange metal boxes appeared at his side. He immediately began strapping himself into them.

"What are you--agh!!!" Petra let out a shriek as Levi swiftly placed her on his back and began flying through the air. She clung tightly to his neck, scared and exhilarated at the same time. "How does this--"

"Enough questions," Levi snapped. "Didn't I say to just go with it?"

So Petra held on quietly until Levi arrived at what seemed to be a large wall of blond...eyebrows.

"The eyebrows of doom," Levi informed her.

"Eyebrows of doom?" Petra gulped. "Why are they called that?"

"Because they're so big," Levi explained.

At that moment, the eyebrows shifted, and a man's body came into view. His face was a little hard to see, since it was obscured by the enormous eyebrows, but Petra caught a glimpse of blue, blue eyes and a chiseled jaw. "I am Commander Erwin," the man said gruffly. "Who dares pass by my eyebrows?"

"Move it, Commander Handsome," Levi snapped. "I'm already in a hurry, and now I've got to take a detour to the white queen's palace to drop this annoying brat off."

"Cheshire Cat? Is that you?" The man lifted the hair off his face to peer at Levi. "Why didn't you say so? Go right ahead!"

"Yeah, you'd better move," Levi grumbled. "Wasted enough time already."

"Right," Erwin said in his authoritative voice. "Oh, and watch out for your cousin, the Red Queen. I hear she's been looking for you."

"Again?" Levi sighed. "Oh yeah, Mikasa's still mad about the time I beat her in arm wrestling. Well, thanks for the tip. To be honest, I'm not up for one of her to-the-death rematches."

Erwin chuckled. Then he caught sight of Petra. "Did you get lost in Wonderland, girl? Don't worry, Queen Hange will help you get right back. She has the fixer-upper portal, you know. Though it doesn't always work."

"What do you mean, it doesn't always work?!" Petra had a thousand questions, but Levi had already slung her on his back, and was taking off again.He was flying so fast, his ears flattened against his head. Petra felt an enormous urge to pet one. So she did.

Levi jerked to a stop, snarling. "Don't do that again unless you want to be dropped 100 feet from the ground."

"Sorry," Petra said, though she really wasn't. His ears were soft and silky, just like a normal cat. Just then, they heard sticks snapping below. Levi's eyes widened. He placed a hand over Petra's mouth and dove into a cluster of leaves.

"What's going on?" Petra whispered frantically.

"My cousin," Levi whispered back. "She's looking for me."

"LEVI! WHERE ARE YOU, YOU SLY CAT! I STILL HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN OUR ARM WRESTLING MATCH!"

Petra peeked through the leaves to see a young girl, perhaps sixteen or seventeen, marching through the forest. Her shoulder length hair was as black as Levi's, and her eyes were a bottomless pit of onyx. They even shared the same characteristic ears and tail. The difference, however, was that she wore a long red ball gown with red combat boots, fire hydrant silk gloves, and ruby bandages around her upper arms. She looked like a combination of a warrior and a princess. It was odd, but it worked. "The Red Queen?" Petra guessed.

"More or less," Levi replied curtly. "Let's just hope she passes by without noticing us--"

"AHA! THERE YOU ARE YOU SNIVELING COWARD! COME OUT AND FIGHT ME LIKE A MAN!"

Levi cursed and grabbed Petra. He clicked at the handles on his gear, but nothing came out. "My gas is empty!"

"Do you have more?" Petra pleaded, a bit scared of the angry red girl who was currently sprinting towards them. Levi snapped his fingers and another canister appeared.

"It's just gonna take me a few minutes to load it."

"A few minutes?" Petra screeched. "We have less than ten seconds!"

"I'm working at it, I'm working," Levi mumbled.

Petra watched as the Red Queen flew at them with super human speed. "We're not gonna make it!" She threw her hands over her head, shielding herself from the certain blow. But five seconds passed and she felt nothing. Then ten. Then fifteen. Cautiously, Petra peeked out to see the Red Queen towering over her, a fierce glare on her face. Levi was still fiddling with his gas.

"You." The Red Queen spat.

"Yes?" Petra quavered.

"You're the one that nearly stepped on Eren, aren't you? That was you, wasn't it! AND WHO TURNED EREN INTO A CATERPILLAR AGAIN ANYWAY, HUH?!"

"Should've kept your head down!" Levi reprimanded.

"Eeep!" Petra squeaked. "No! It wasn't me! I swear!"

"DONT LIE TO ME YOU LITTLE--"

"Time to go!" Levi said, grabbing Petra and clicking his reloaded gas. They shot off into the air.

The Red Queen dove at them, missing Petra's ankle by a hair. "GET BACK HERE, LEVI! YOU TOO, YOU AUBURN HAIRED BEAST! I SHALL DESTROY YOU! OFF WITH YOUR HEADS!"

Petra was gasping by the time they took off again. "I've decided something--Wonderland is terrifying!"

"Oh, you haven't seen anything yet," Levi told her. "Wait till you meet Hange."

Hange, as it turned out, was the White Queen, ruler of the white palace. They'd finally gotten there (though not before they were attacked by a giant female humanoid monster who seemed intent on kicking Petra into a tree). Hange was a bubbly woman with brown hair and glasses that seemed to be smeared with a certain brown substance (Petra hoped it wasn't really what Levi had called it). Instead of wearing a ball gown, like the Red Queen, Hange donned a pure white lab coat, so white that it hurt Petra's eyes to look at it.

Hange had immediately welcomed them into the palace. "Oh hello, Cheshire Kitty Cat! Come in, come in, please do come in! Who's this lovely guest you've brought with you? March Hare! Bring our guests some tea, will you?"

The March Hare, who was apparently a short rabbit-eared boy with blond hair in a mushroom cut and blue eyes, hurried away to grab the tea.

"Ah, so what seems to be the trouble?" Hange asked Petra kindly. "Chessy Cat never visits unless he needs something from me."

Levi grunted. "The brat got lost in Wonderland and needs help getting back. She fell down the rabbit hole."

"Ooo, the rabbit hole!" Hange squealed. "It's been a while since someone fell through there! Don't worry dear, I know just how to fix this! Come with me to the portal."

She steered Petra into a back room. Right in the center stood a strange machine that looked a bit like a bubble blower. The inside swirled with translucent rainbow colors.

"This is the swirly-dirly thingy," Hange explained. "Also known as the fixer-upper portal. This will take you exactly back to where you want to go. Just think of the place you want, and BAM! You're there!"

Petra stepped forward eagerly. She was glad to be leaving Wonderland and all its craziness. Going home sounded good. Except...

"Well, what are you waiting for, brat? Get in." Levi stood behind her, his tail swishing impatiently, his ears twitching. Petra had to admit, the combination was adorable.

"I'm going, I'm going," Petra mumbled. "Bye Levi. Thanks for all your trouble."

"Why are you thanking me for giving me trouble?" Levi asked. "You're an idiot."

"Right," Petra said softly. She placed a hand on the portal.

"But...um..." Levi cleared his throat. "You know, you're welcome."

Petra paused, a smile creeping up her face. She opened her mouth to say something else, but found herself being pushed into the portal by Hange. "Don't worry, dear! It's quite safe, I assure you! Only three out of the five people we've sent back have lost limbs!"

"What?!"

By then, it was too late. She felt a strange sucking sensation, and then Petra began to fall. "Bye, Levi!" She called one last time. She wasn't sure, but she thought she heard a voice call out a goodbye before everything went black.

***********************************

*Three weeks later*

Petra stood outside, contentedly watering her carrots. She aimed the hose at a dry looking patch, and out from the spray of water leapt something white and furry. "Hey!" Petra called indignantly. "Stop eating my carrots, you stupid rabbit!"

She dropped the hose and chased the fuzzy thing away. It narrowly escaped by leaping into a hole. Petra paused at the edge of the tunnel.

"Ahhh..."

She glanced around her several times. No one was about. Glancing back down at the hole, she closed her eyes and fell in.

"Oops, I slipped."

**The End.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This literally wrote itself. It's weird. I know.


	5. X Marks the Target

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Petra is an assassin and Levi is her target.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Levi is 24 for this story. Too much of an age difference would be weird.

Petra Ral was an assassin.

It worked for her. She was innocent, sweet, charming, beautiful-

Ruthless, cold-hearted, greedy, emotionless-

"That it?" She asked with a raised eyebrow, riffling through the wad of cash she'd received from her last job. "Seems I should be paid a bit more than that."

Her boss studied her through lidded eyes, then sighed. "Alright Ral, here's an extra hundred. Take it or leave it."

Petra smirked, reaching across the counter and snatching the bill. "Thanks, boss." She walked out of the room, her 5'2 frame never betraying the fact that she was a killer.

"Come back here for a second, Ral!" Her boss yelled. "We're not done!"

Petra let out an exasperated huff, peeking her head back through the door. "What is it?"

"You've got another job," the man said. "Here's the file."

"Already?" Petra grumbled. "I just got back. Give me a break."

"Sorry, Ral." Her boss replied. "But we're short on staff and need to keep up with demands." He handed her the Manila folder. "You leave tomorrow morning. Read this through tonight."

Petra took the file, weighing it in one hand. "It's pretty light," she remarked.

"Yeah, we don't have much on this guy," her boss answered. "He's real secretive. Just do your best with what you have."

At home, Petra immediately sat down and began flipping through the contents. "Levi Ackerman," she read. "Male, age 24, height is 5'3, weight 150 lbs, occupation is automobile manufacturer..." She skimmed through the rest of the information, her eyes landing on his picture.

He was a fairly handsome man, despite his small stature. His eyes were steel gray, highlighted by black lashes and a pale face. His black hair was fashioned in an undercut, and from what she could see from the half-body shot, he was rather muscular. "Boss was right," Petra said to herself. "There really isn't much info on this guy."

She was about to put the papers away, when a smaller piece caught her attention. She picked it up, squinting at the small type. "Ahhh..." Petra murmured. "This could be a bit troublesome. He's got no record whatsoever. Nothing, not even exact date of birth or the hospital he was born at. No blood type, no country of origin...jeez, I don't even know how long he's been in America."

Something was definitely wrong with this guy. It was as if all his data records had been wiped, or maybe never put into the computer to begin with. Really, the only noteworthy thing was that his location and schedule was known. He was currently living in Florida. He lived alone, apparently, and left home each day at 6:00 a.m. to go to work. He got back at 6:30 p.m. and would go out to eat every Saturday at a seafood restaurant.

Well, hopefully she was just overthinking things. Maybe it would all turn out as planned, and she could complete her mission without a hitch.

Hopefully.

***********************************

Petra stepped off her plane on Friday the next day at 1:30 p.m. She was dressed like a normal tourist, wearing a flowery blouse, kaki shorts, and flip flops. Her overly large handbag hid the fact that she also carried a multitude of weapons, lethal poisons, and other various assassination tools.

According to the hired spy, Mr. Ackerman was taking a day off from work. He was at the beach with two other people, a red haired teenage girl whose name was Isabel Magnolia, and a sandy haired man, Farlan Church, who was a little older than Levi.

Well, it was time to go meet her target. She checked into her assigned hotel (it was directly across the street from his flat), and then hurried down to the crowded beach. Petra walked casually across the sand, her sunglasses hiding the fact that her eyes were flitting from person to person, waiting for her target to come into view.

After ten minutes of strolling, she finally saw him. He was sitting cross legged on a towel with Church, wearing a tank top and shorts. A large blue umbrella shaded them from the sun. Magnolia sat on the sand a few feet away. She was building a messy sandcastle, looking up for approval from the two men from time to time.

Petra was almost taken aback by how normal they looked. She'd sort of suspected that a man with no record would look a bit more shady. But that was one of the first lessons she'd learned in assassination, and one that she often practiced herself: never let appearances fool you.

Petra studied them for a few moments, deciding her approach. An open drink sat next to Ackerman. That would work to her advantage. Nonchalantly, she reached into her handbag, extracting her camera.

No one would guess she'd also grabbed a pinch of muscle relaxant powder.

It wouldn't go into effect until hours later, when he would likely be in bed. His movements would become slow and sluggish, keeping any chance of a struggle minimal.

Petra made her move. Snapping a few pictures of the water as she went along, she wandered closer and closer to their towel. When she was only a mere foot away, she 'stumbled' over a stray flip flop nearby, dropping her camera right next to Levi's hand.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" Petra exclaimed, immediately bending down to retrieve it. The moment her hand passed over his cup, she released the powder.

"It's fine, don't worry about it," Levi replied also bending over. He picked up the fallen object and handed it to her. The moment he laid eyes on her face, however, he froze. His face changed for a split second, steel eyes narrowing. A second later, it relaxed again, splitting into an easygoing smile. "Don't worry about it, miss."

Petra's heart was racing, but she didn't let it show on her face. "Thank you." She flashed him a smile and walked off, finally settling down on an area of the beach where she could see him, but was hidden from his view.

The way he'd looked at her...it wasn't right. It was as if he was scrutinizing her, had looked right through her smiling facade and uncovered her true intentions. Farlan had been eyeing her that same way as well. It made her nervous. Not one of her victims had looked at her that way. "Relax, Petra," she told herself. "Stay calm."

But she just couldn't possibly force herself to do that when she realized that Levi hadn't lifted his drink to his lips even once.

***********************************

Petra lay in her hotel bed that night, pondering her next move. It was too risky to try anything tonight, she decided. She'd watched her target get up and throw his drink away after a while, so he couldn't have possibly drunk the muscle relaxant.

There was also the possibility of him and his subordinates suspecting her. She'd seen them enter his flat with him that night, and since then, no one had left the house. If she tried to go in tonight, she'd have three people to contend with. Petra decided to take things slow. She would stay under the radar for a while, act like a normal tourist. Hopefully, any suspicions he had of her would fade. Just be natural, she told herself, before rolling over and falling asleep.

***********************************

The next day, Petra silently observed Levi as he made his way to work. He took the bus, she noted. No car. That meant he was a traveler, never staying in one place long enough to need a car. Just one other strange thing about him.

A bit later, his two companions also left the house and walked away down the street. They got on a bus and departed soon after. Petra immediately pulled out a pair of special binoculars, given to her specifically for her line of work. Peering through them, she examined the front of Levi's home, searching for any cameras or security system. Her binoculars beeped slightly when one came into view. The most intricate one she found was a simple alarm--which could be easily disabled.

She stepped out of her hotel a few moments later, walking towards Levi's flat. A pair of white gloves covered her hands to ensure no fingerprints would be left behind. Minutes later, the alarm system was disabled and she was inside.

Petra glanced around the flat. She was in the sitting room. It was sparsely decorated, only the necessary sofas and coffee table occupying space. Feeling jittery, and not knowing whether or not Ackerman would return, Petra poked around until she found the room she supposed was his. A few papers were scattered on the desk, seemingly work related. Petra skimmed them quickly and deemed them unimportant. She began searching his drawers, careful to leave everything just as she'd found it. Nothing.

Petra was just about to close the last drawer when the slightest rattle caused her to freeze. She paused, peering back into the drawer that she was sure only contained soft linens. On closer inspection, she realized the floor of the drawer was raised a tad bit higher that the other ones.

Pulling a thin metal strip from her bag, she eased it through the crack and lifted the wooden bottom away. What she saw made her blanch.

The bottom of the drawer was lined with guns. And knives. And many other various tools Petra recognized from her work. They were the tools only assassins and government agents could get their hands on.

Petra left the house as quickly as she could.

***********************************

Levi returned later that night from work. Farlan and Isabel arrived not long after. The first thing he did was check the alarm system. It was on, but that didn't mean she couldn't have just disabled it and then turned it back on after.

Farlan watched him with raised eyebrows. "Well?"

"Dunno yet," Levi grunted. "You guys go check the house. I'll look in my room."

The pair have him a nod and hurried off; Levi climbed the stairs to his room. On first glance, nothing seemed out of place. Then he opened his concealed weapons drawer. "Yep," he muttered. "Thought so."

The little string that he'd placed between the crack had fallen through, and was lying in the hidden compartment. He'd placed it so that it would only fall through if the bottom of the drawer had been lifted. "Yo, Farlan! Isabel!" He called from upstairs. He heard the pounding of their feet as they hurried to meet him.

"What's up, big bro?" Isabel asked as she peeked in the doorway.

"The trap's been sprung," Levi informed them. "She was definitely here."

"Do you think she knows?" Farlan asked. "And why on earth is she here with us in Florida?"

"Alright, I have a hypothesis," Levi said, sitting down on his bed. "As you guys both know, Ms. Ral's an assassin. She works for our rival company, the Scouting Wings. And we've been ordered by our organization, the Legion, to eliminate her because she's been taking out way too many of our agents."

"Yup," Isabel replied, bouncing on the bed beside him.

"My guess is that she was probably sent to kill me. It just so happens that we were planning to leave today to her home state, Indiana. But she beat us to the chase, so now we're stuck here."

"Then do you think she knows we work for the Legion?" Farlan asked.

"Doubt it," Levi answered. "We've kept who we work for pretty low-key, so no one should know. But the guys at Scouting Wings have been suspicious of me for a long time. They're probably just doing it as a precaution."

"Then we need to hurry up and finish the job so we can get out of Florida. It's better to move quickly. I hate when they have a lock on our position." Farlan told him.

"Yeah..." Levi rubbed his head with his hands. "This flat isn't all that great either. There aren't many good hiding places for my weapons."

"Umm...big bro?" Isabel piped up. "What should we do now, since Ral saw your tools? Don't you think she knows you're an assassin now?"

"Act normal," Levi replied. "She'll probably start tailing us now, so expect to meet up with her. We'll go out to eat tonight, just like usual. Expect her to be there. Listen, we should get to know her as well as we can. Learning about the prey makes them an easier target. Then it will just be a matter of killing her before she kills us."

"Sounds like a plan," Farlan grinned, clapping his hands together. "I'm always up for a challenge."

Levi nodded his approval. "Then let's eliminate Petra Ral."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be continued...


	6. X Marks the Target: Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of previous chapter: Levi and Petra get to know each other.

"We're going out to eat as usual tonight," Levi said factually. "Petra Ral can be almost guaranteed to be there. If the men down at Scouting Wings have picked up on our location, then they've probably got our schedule down as well."

"But just act natural," Isabel clarified. "So that our target's alertness drops."

Farlan nodded. "Yep. You're learning fast, Isabel. Soon enough, you'll be a fully fledged assassin. Then Levi and I can finally get rid of you."

"Heeeey!" Isabel complained. "I like coming with you guys on missions. Big bro likes it too, don't you?"

"Hurry up and get dressed," Levi called, ignoring her. "We don't want to eat too late."

The three left the house a few minutes later, looking like a normal group of friends on a night out.

***********************************

Petra gave off the same unsuspecting vibe as she tailed Ackerman, wearing cream skinny jeans and a loose black t-shirt with a palm tree splayed across the front.

She was still mulling over why he had an enormous stash of lethal weapons in his drawer, but if she had to guess, he was either a crazy phsyco or an assassin like her.

The more realistic guess was the latter. He might not even be an assassin, she thought. He could be some kind of government agent.

But if that was the case, wouldn't it cause trouble for her with the government if they found out? Petra didn't have much sentiment for others, but she valued her own life. She was beginning to feel a little iffy about this entire job.

So she wouldn't kill him just yet, she decided. She'd get close to him, learn more about him. Besides, the better you knew your prey, the easier they were to kill.

Petra watched from afar as Ackerman, Church, and Magnolia entered the restaurant. She continued to wait outside for at least five minutes more before heading in herself.

"Table for one, ma'am?" A waitress asked smilingly.

"Please," Petra replied, glancing around for Ackerman. She watched him sit down at a four-seater table at the far left of the restaurant. An empty two-seater was situated right next to them.

The waitress began to lead her to the other side of the dining room, but Petra quickly stopped her. "Is it alright if I sit over there?" She flashed her a brilliant smile.

The woman looked startled, but she nodded. "Of course." She led her to the table and handed her a menu. "I'll be back shortly to take your order."

Petra sat down and immersed herself in the menu, pretending not to notice her target a few feet away. She'd rather not make the first move.

She didn't have to, either.

"What a coincidence--it's you again."

Petra looked up, feigning surprise. "Oh!It's you! From the beach!" She laughed, smiling her most charming smile.

"Funny how we keep meeting," Ackerman said, reaching out to shake her hand.

A thousand possibilities raced through Petra's mind. He could have dusted his palm with poison, or be holding a small needle that would prick her and send drugs into her bloodstream, or--

And yet, she reached out and grasped his hand in hers, giving it a brief shake. Stupid! Why on earth did she do that? Well, if she refused, it would also be suspicious.

"My name is Elizabeth," Petra said, giving her usual alias. "What's yours?"

"Levi," her target said amiably and without hesitation. Huh. He wasn't giving an alias. Perhaps he didn't suspect her? Or maybe he knew that she knew, and didn't want to arouse her suspicions by giving a fake name.

"Nice to meet you," Petra said cheerfully. "I'm visiting Florida for a couple weeks. Nice to take a little vacation."

"Oh?" Ackerman asked. "Where do you come from?"

"Oklahoma," Petra replied promptly. "Do you live here, or are you also vacationing?"

Ackerman didn't miss a beat. "No, I travel quite a bit. These two here are my close friends, Farlan and Isabel."

"Hello," Petra waved.

Church smiled pleasantly and Magnolia bounced in her seat. "Nice to meet you!"

"So are you staying in a hotel?" Church asked. "Some of them in this area are really nice, but there are a lot that are downright disgusting."

Petra paused. Should she be honest? Yes, she had to. They would undoubtedly, at some point, see her exit or enter the hotel since they lived just across from it. If she lied now, it could lead to trouble later.

"I am," Petra answered. "It's Beachside Inn."

"Ah, we live just across from there," Levi told her. "It's a fairly nice hotel, I've been in there a few times."

They talked for a while after that. Petra ended up moving to sit next to Isabel while they ate, and the foursome chatted through dinner.

It was a bit strange. Petra knew that by holding this conversation, she was assessing her prey, yet at the same time it was like she was out with friends. That was something she hadn't done since grade school, she thought a bit remorsefully.

"Is everything alright?" Levi asked her. He was watching her carefully. "You looked upset for a moment."

Huh. Wasn't he unusually observant. "No, I'm fine!" Petra replied brightly. "Anyway, where were we? Isabel, you were telling me about a project you were working on?"

Half an hour later, Petra finally left the restaurant. She felt odd, as if everything around her held an ethereal quality.

She couldn't be sure, but she felt as if Levi--wait, when did she start calling him that?-- _Ackerman_ had been picking her apart.

Even though she hadn't told him anything of significant worth, it was like his eyes had uncovered her every last secret.

For some reason, Petra just couldn't shake the feeling that he knew all about her little game and was simply playing along.

And she really wasn't sure about _this_ , but every time he looked at her and smiled his easygoing smile with his steel gray eyes, her heart fluttered, just

a

tiny

bit.

***********************************

"Alright Isabel," Levi asked the red haired girl once they arrived at home. "Time for a little test to see how sharp your skills have gotten. Based on what Petra Ral told us, what information have you discovered that will assist us in eliminating her?"

Isabel bounced on the bed, looking thoughtful. "Well, most of what we spoke of were trivial topics. However, I did notice a few slip ups that she made. For some reason, she seemed a little distracted. I thought a top class assassin like her would be a little more alert."

Farlan nodded. "That's right, she wasn't on top of her game tonight. That's Levi's specialty. He fakes an easygoing personality--I don't know how he does it, since he's usually got as much charm as a slug--and gets his prey comfortable. Their awareness is lowered, making them easier to kill."

"Right," Isabel nodded. "Well, one mistake she made was that she said she lived in Oklahoma. However, later on, she mentioned something about cold winters back where she lived, something typical of Indiana, her real home state."

Levi gave her a thumbs up. "Yep. What else?"

Isabel scratched her head. "Umm...let's see. There was one time that she didn't respond to her name immediately. That was when big bro asked her "Elizabeth, can you please hand me a napkin?" Her reaction time was about 0.8 seconds slower than normal."

Farlan ruffled her hair. "And here I was thinking you were brainless."

"I'm smart!" Isabel said defensively. "Very very smart!"

Farlan rolled his eyes. "Anyways, what's our plan now, Levi?"

Levi clasped his hands together. "Alright. I'd like to arrange her death in a way that no one will find out about it for a while. My plan is to leave the state of Florida. She'll have no choice but to try to follow me. However, I want her to call her boss first and let him know her mission time needs to be extended. That way, he won't check up on her for a little while, and we'll have time to clear out."

Farlan was rubbing his chin. "So basically, we should have her tell her boss she's leaving Florida, but get rid of her before we actually leave. Then we can dispose of the body. Even if they search for her, they probably won't look for her here. We can have Isabel pose as Petra Ral when we take the plane, so that they'll have on their records that she left."

Levi nodded. "Makes sense to me."

"So then we should probably stay here for a few more days and get even closer to her, so that it wouldn't be odd if we told her out of the blue that we were leaving."Isabel chimed in.

"That's what we'll do then," Levi decided.

***********************************

Petra was a bit surprised when Levi--no, _Ackerman_ \--intercepted her the next day and asked if she'd like to go with him that night to the beach. They were having a small get together with some others, and he thought she might like to come.

They'd both confessed to being single last night, and it wasn't like Petra wasn't used to using this type of method to achieve her assassinations.

And when she saw his easygoing grin and steel gray eyes staring hopefully at her--

Well, it wasn't like this would _hurt_ the assassination in any way. In fact, it would actually be very _helpful_.

So Petra said yes without hesitation, putting on her bright smile that didn't seem as forced as it usually did, and waved Levi--Ackerman--off as he left to work.

This was all going as planned, she told herself. All going as planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final part will be released soon!


	7. X Marks the Target: Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final part.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so bad, I haven't updated in almost a month...  
> And the thing is, this chapter was prewritten and I just forgot to publish it.   
> Sorry.

Petra sat on her towel by the bonfire that night, watching the flames send sparks into the air. It was rather pretty, she thought to herself. It had been a while since she'd been able to sit back and relax.

"Hey," a low voice behind her spoke up.

Well, it wasn't exactly relaxing, considering her target was a mere few feet away.

"Mind if I join you?" Levi asked, his hands in his pockets.

"Sure, go ahead!" Petra smiled, patting the beach towel. No one else was sitting by the fire at that time, so it would be just the two of them. A perfect time to find out more about him.

Levi sat down next to her, his legs criss-crossed. "Nice night."

"Isn't it?" Petra remarked. "Where are Isabel and Farlan?"

"Out playing volleyball with a few other friends." Levi replied.

Petra stared up at the stars for some time, letting the natural silence ease the mood between them. "So, Levi," she began. "You say you work as an automobile manufacturer. Has that always been the case? It wouldn't seem that way, since you travel quite a bit." She gave him a honeyed smile.

Levi shrugged. "I take up odd jobs, depending on where I'm staying. Mostly what's available. I was a garbage collector at one point." He chuckled. "I really hope I never have to go through that again."

Petra smirked. "That's what that smell was."

"Hey," Levi pretended to be offended. "I'll have you know that cleanliness is number one on my list."

They chatted about small things after that. Petra prodded him about his past a bit, but he didn't make a single slip. His words were seamless, his transitions flawless.

Hours wore on, and Petra began to get frustrated. She'd learned nothing about him other than what he'd told her. His life had seemed normal enough, nothing that the Scouting Wings would want him assassinated for.

Which meant this whole backstory was a lie. There was more to Levi than met the eye, and she was going to find out what it was.

"--want to come?"

"Huh?" Petra snapped to attention. "Sorry, I dozed off a bit there. It's getting pretty late."

"I asked you if you wanted to come with us on a boat ride next week on Tuesday," Levi repeated patiently. "Isabel, Farlan, and I are going, and there's an open spot. Would you like to go?"

"Sounds fun!" Petra chirped. "I'd love to! Oh, but how long will it be? Is it a day trip?"

"Two days, actually." Levi informed her. "There will be a lot of sightseeing along the way."

"I suppose I could go then," Petra said. "Is it just the four of us?"

"Nah, it's a tourist thing," Levi said. "There will be at least twenty other people."

Petra bit her lip. If Levi was really a threat to her, that could be dangerous. To the untrained mind, having more people on the boat would seem safer, since there would be more eyewitnesses if he were to try anything.

However, that also meant that if she were to mysteriously die, the police would probably overlook it as a natural accident if no one reported anything.

If it was just the four of them, then they would suspect that Levi had had something to do with her death.

Levi was clever, no doubt. But, Petra realized, she could also use this same thing to her advantage. Perhaps there would be a chance to get rid of Levi on the boat.

"Alright," Petra found herself saying, "See you in three days, on Tuesday."

***********************************

"Did you do it?" Farlan asked Levi as they went home that night.

"Yeah," Levi replied. "She's agreed to go. Do you remember the plan?"

"Yep!" Isabel raised her hand. "First, we set up cameras in Ral's room on the boat. You'll tell her that you're leaving to Chicago in a few days when you're on the boat together. Then, we wait until she contacts the boss and lets him know she'll be following you. Once she does that, we can arrange an 'accident' for her while she's still on the boat. Then we clear out, and her boss won't pick up on the fact that she's gone until weeks later."

"This'll work," Farlan said confidently. "I'm sure of it!"

***********************************

"Wha--Levi!" Petra exclaimed. "Funny how we keep meeting like this!"

"Huh? Elizabeth?" The black haired man turned around in surprise. "Hey!"

Petra had gone out to an ice cream parlor the next day to relieve the stress from her mission. But it turned out her reason for stress had decided to follow her no matter where she went. "You came for ice cream too?"

"For Isabel," Levi explained. "I don't really care for sweet things. But hey, since I'm here, I can buy yours."

"No no, don't worry about it!" Petra said. "I've got it." She reached into her wallet to extract the bills, but Levi grabbed her wrist.

"It's fine, I don't mind buying for you." He flashed her an easygoing grin.

For some reason, Petra felt herself blush. "Oh--well--I suppose if you really want..."

Levi laughed at her reaction. "I really do."

Petra turned even redder. "Th-thank you!"

Levi purchased her ice cream, then led her to a small booth. "Mind if I join you for a bit? Isabel won't mind waiting."

"Of course!" Petra nodded, sitting down. She started on her ice cream.

Levi watched. "You picked an odd flavor combo. Hot chile chocolate and banana? What's with that?"

"I'm a unique girl," Petra waved her spoon at him. "I like to stand out."

"Well, you certainly do," Levi said.

Petra grew warm. "Well...so do you, Ackerman! I've never seen anyone with a haircut like yours!" She felt satisfied when he turned a bit pink.

"I've always had it like this," he mumbled, running a hand through it. "Ever since I was a kid. Never bothered to change it."

Petra smirked. "I'm just kidding, it really suits you." She spooned more ice cream into her mouth. "So, Levi, have you ever liked anyone?"

"What?" Levi looked startled. For once, the easygoing mask dropped, and he seemed the slightest bit uncomfortable. "...no."

"Never?" Petra was surprised herself. "Why not? You're a pretty decent guy, can't imagine not a single girl falling for you."

Levi shrugged. "I guess my line of work never really allowed for that...you know, traveling and all."

"Well...is there anyone you might ever consider?"

Levi glanced anywhere but her face. "Maybe."

"Like who?" Petra asked.

Levi was quiet for a long time. When he finally looked up, he met her eyes. "I mean...maybe...you?"

For some odd reason, Petra felt her stomach jump a little. Why did she feel this way? Levi--no, Ackerman--was her target! Besides, he was obviously lying. It was all part of his plan to get her to trust him completely.

And yet, when Petra left the chilly ice cream parlor a few minutes later, she felt an unfamiliar warmth that made every fiber of her body tingle.

***********************************

Petra stood outside her flat, waiting with Levi, Isabel, and Farlan at the bus stop. They were on their way to the tourist boat, and Levi suggested they travel on the same bus.

When the bus arrived a few minutes later, Petra felt a nervous flutter in her stomach. This was it. In about an hour, they'd be on the boat, and Levi would lose his life at her hands.

Why, for some reason, did that upset her?

They arrived at the boat a bit late, and had to run to catch it before it left. The captain was a bearded friendly man, and he happily welcomed them aboard. The boat was rather large, more than enough room for the fifteen to twenty other people who were already on board.

Taking their tickets, the captain inspected them closely. "Alright folks, the young lady to my right and this young man--" he gestured to Petra and Levi "--have rooms 2b and 3b. The other two are one hall down, in rooms 5c and 6c."

"Thank you, sir." Levi told him. They each picked up their bags and walked to their rooms. Petra couldn't shake the feeling that her and Levi had been purposely placed next to each other.

"Let's all go out on the main deck after we put our things away," Farlan suggested. "There are going to be some pretty cool sites, and I don't want to miss them!"

"Sounds good," Petra said warmly, falling in step beside Levi. "I'd like to see them as well."

The deck was already quite busy when they arrived, but they found seats next to each other. Farlan was right. The scenery was beautiful, and they saw a few wild animals; bald eagles and dolphins, much to Isabel's delight.

The afternoon wore on, but Petra found herself enjoying the boat ride, her mind slipping away from her scheme to kill Levi. Coral reefs drifted in and out of view and colored fish darted about.

As night began to fall, many of the passengers retired to their rooms. Soon, all who were left were Levi, Petra, Isabel, and Farlan.

"Wow, what a day!" Isabel cried. "But man, I'm beat. I'm gonna hit the sack."

"Same," Farlan agreed. "I'm off to bed. We'll leave you two alone for a while." He winked.

Petra blushed. "Don't be an idiot, Farlan."

The sandy haired boy and red haired girl walked away to their rooms, leaving Petra and Levi sitting on the deck. Levi rolled his eyes. "Don't mind Farlan. He really is an idiot."

Petra laughed. "That's mean!"

Levi smirked. "Yeah, I know." He rested his head on the boat rails, staring out at the ocean with his steel eyes. "Hey, Elizabeth?"

"Hm?"

"I'm going to be leaving again soon."

"What? Why?!" Petra was genuinely upset. Would his leaving affect her plans?

"I've got to head to Chicago. There's some people I need to visit and some things I have to do. I probably won't be coming back to Florida, at least not for a while." Levi sighed. "I'm sorry. I was just getting to know you, too."

Petra shook her head. "When do you have to go?"

"The day I get back from the boat ride. It's pretty short notice."

Ugh! No! This completely ruined her plan! Her plan would extend to after the boat as well, and if he would be gone, she couldn't carry it out.

Petra hung her head, not having to feign sadness. "I'm sorry too. I...really thought that we could...you know..."

Levi placed his hand over hers. "...I know."

Petra sat there for a while longer, unsure of what to say or do. Finally, Levi stood up. "Then...I'm going to turn in, Elizabeth. Good night." He shot her a sad smile.

Petra waved faintly. "Good night, Levi."

When she was sure he was gone, she raced back to her room and picked up the phone. "Hello, boss? Yeah, change of plans. I'll be flying to Chicago..."

***********************************

"Did she do it?" Levi asked as he entered his room. Isabel and Farlan were waiting for him.

"Yep," Farlan replied. "She made the call."

"Great," Levi said. "I'll call Erwin then to let him know about our change of plans." He picked up his cell and dialed a number.

"Hey Smith, this is Ackerman. Alright, so we'll be taking off to Chicago tomorrow after we dispose of our target, but we won't be there long. We'll stay for about a day, then get back to the base."

***********************************

The captain stared out at the ocean with a few other members of the crew. "Looks like a storm's brewing."

"What should we do, Captain?" A sailor asked. "We're in open water right now. It will take another two hours to arrive on land. Even if we turn back, we won't make it before the squall hits."

The captain stared ahead, stroking his beard. "Keep sailing for the next checkpoint. That's all there is to do."

***********************************

Levi awoke to the sound of wind and pounding rain. He sat up in bed, glancing about. Pulling off his sheets, he quietly opened the door to his room and stepped outside into the hall.

"Should I wake up Isabel and Farlan...? No, they should sleep. I just need to find out what's going on..." He slipped down the hallway only to see a shadowy figure approaching from the other end.

Levi froze, waiting for the person to come into view.

It was Petra. "Levi?"

"Did the storm wake you up too?" Levi asked. "It did for me."

Petra nodded. "Yeah, I was just going to check it out. Care to come?"

Levi nodded and silently followed her up onto the main deck. The rain assaulted them immediately, whipping across their faces like shards of ice. Petra shivered. "It's really bad." She slowly walked to the rail and leaned over. "Come see the waves."

This was his chance. Right now. Casually, he approached her, slowly, slowly...

Then he struck. As fast as a snake, Levi grabbed her arm and attempted to heave her over.

However, that didn't necessarily go as planned. Petra elbowed him in the gut, and twisting around, pulled out a gun. "Don't move."

"Too late," Levi snarled, lunging. He knocked the weapon from her hand milliseconds before she pressed the trigger, throwing her to the ground. "You die here, Ral!"

Petra's eyes widened. "How do you know my name?"

Levi's lip curled. "Because, _Petra_ ," he emphasized, "You're my _target_."

Petra stared at him for a second before letting out a small noise of disgust. "Tch. I knew there was something odd about you. I should've never let myself fall for you...you're from the Legion, aren't you?"

"And you're from Scouting Wings. You've been taking out too many of our agents, Ral. I can't believe you were stupid enough to think I actually cared about you." Levi sneered. "You need to die!" He hauled her to her feet, struggling to push her to the rail.

Petra gasped with exertion. His physical strength was beyond normal. She wouldn't hold out much longer...

"Hey!"

Both looked up in surprise to see a sailor running towards them. "What are you two doing out here and so close to the rail?! Can't you see there's a storm?!"

"I'm sorry sir," Levi said in a normal tone, as if he hadn't just been trying to kill Petra. "But this young lady decided to stay out for the storm, and I was attempting to prevent her from getting too close to the rails."

Petra's eyes narrowed. "No! That's not-"

Suddenly, a crackling noise echoed throughout the boat, and the loudspeaker burst to life. "Attention, passengers. Due to the storm and high winds, the boat has been blown off course. We've entered an area with a rocky coral reef, and the boat has been severely damaged. Please, evacuate immediately and get on the main deck."

Levi's face went white. "We're sinking?"

The sailor looked at him, stunned. "I've got to get everyone up here!" He dashed off towards the rooms.

Levi looked at Petra. She stared back at him. Although neither spoke, they came to a silent agreement; they would call a truce for the time being. The most important thing was that the evacuation went smoothly.

The passengers began crowding up onto the deck. Levi's eyes scanned the crowd, searching for Isabel and Farlan. Finally, he caught sight of Isabel's familiar flaming head, and rushed over to them. "We've got to get off this boat."

Isabel looked terrified. "What happened? Where's Ral?"

"She knows who I am now. I tried to commence the assassination, but it was interrupted by the loudspeaker. It's not important at the moment, we need to get to a lifeboat!"

Farlan nodded. "I understand."

"Stay here," Levi told them. "I'm going to look for the boats. Don't get lost in the crowd; I'll need to find you." He rushed off towards the captain, pushing through the panicking people.

Levi felt a presence to his left, and quickly glanced to the side.

"Funny how we keep meeting like this, huh?" Petra's cold voice rang out.

Levi glared. "Shut it, Ral." He continued towards the shouting sailors, Petra right behind him. The waves were getting bigger, and water splashed onto the deck. The boat was beginning to tilt to one side.

Levi cursed silently and shoved harder. He was running out of time.

Suddenly, a huge wave came crashing down on the boat behind him. Screams tore from the crowd as people were swept overboard. A few of the lucky ones grabbed on to something stable, hanging on for dear life.

Levi whipped around, quickly turning pale. "ISABEL! FARLAN!" He searched desperately for Isabel's red hair, Farlan's tall figure, but all he saw were sobbing people. "Where are they? _Where are they_ \--Isabel! Farlan!"

And then he saw it. Out there, bobbing in the tumultuous ocean, was a streak of red. _Isabel_.

And beside her, Farlan.

Levi reached out his hand, speechless.

"No--"

The next wave crashed down over their heads, and they were gone.

"NO!"

He ran towards the rail, intent on pulling them back. They couldn't be gone, not dead, not Isabel, not Farlan--

"Stop, you idiot! You'll only die!" Petra grabbed his arm. "What are you trying to do? You can't save them!"

Levi turned to face her. "What's it to you, Ral?"

Petra opened her mouth, then paused. "...I don't want you to die. Not yet."

Levi turned away, slowly shaking his head. "I don't believe you...you stupid, naive woman..."

Petra grabbed his arm fiercely. "Not yet, alright? Please, let just some of it be real. Just a bit of that affection. Please..."

Levi bit his lip, struggling to make his decision. Could he trust her...?

"Fine."

And together, they ran for the lifeboats.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cheesy ending.
> 
> I tried:)


End file.
